Yorha-2B: Literal Objectification

A week ago, the PS4 game NieR:Automata was released in North America. Its director, Taro Yoko, did an interview about various aspects of the game. At one point, the interviewer asked him why the main character, combat robot Yorha-2B, wore high heels. The first answer he gave was that he wanted something that would be strange to people today since the game takes place 10,000 years in the future. He could have left it at that, giving a bland answer to a loaded question. However, he gave another answer, one that he admits is the real reason for Yorha-2B’s design. What was that answer?

“I just really like girls.”

There it was — so few words, yet so much meaning. No dodges claiming sexual satire or social commentary. No apologies for “giving offense.” No justifications about how it makes 2B a strong woman. He designed 2B that way simply because he liked such designs. Earlier in the year, he even asked for a zip file full of art about 2B’s rear end. In this era of hypersensitive social justice witch hunts, it is refreshing to see a creator just say that he likes a given design element.

Good for Taro. Japan seems to have some kind of natural resistance to SJW convergence.

You could rightly call me biased, though, because a) I also like girls, and b) Astlin’s dress from The Secret Kings is quite similar to 2B’s, except Astlin’s skirt is longer, and shorts are her preferred style of underwear.